((Hello folks. A quick word before the start. Some of you on here will know me by my old user account: Zane Longsharks. Unfortunately I no longer have access to that account because I forgot the password and the old email address that its link to was seized by Live and I can't complete the user verification satisfactorily enough to have it restored. So long and short, goodbye Zane Longsharks. .-. To those who were awaiting updates to my old stories that is my excuse for the really long hiatus. That discouraged me so much I just said screw it. but now I'm back under a new name but still playing the same old game: GTA! :D. The release of gta 5 has encouraged me to start afresh, hence this latest work. This is a revamp of my first work, Grand Theft Auto: A MOB Story. That is to say I kept a couple of the main characters and kind of scrapped most everything else. Those who were reading MOB Story I urge you to give this new work a chance (I personally think its a lot better) and those who didn't get a chance well now is a good time to get started. Enough chattering. Unto the first chapter.))
The midday's sun glared down mercilessly on the City of Liberty. It seemed particularly fierce on Cassidy Street Broker where a heat haze rose off every surface and every breath was stifling agony. Cars plodded along steadily down the ill-maintained asphalt street, those fortunate enough to have working air condition in their vehicles drove with the windows rolled up and the ice cranked to the max. Those who did not had their windows rolled down in the hope of tempting in a nonexistent breeze. The sidewalks were peeled yet there was one place on Cassidy St that was very much still active. The basketball court that was located towards the end of the street near the intersection with Sioux Ave. A group of youths milled around the basketball court intently watching a fierce match between two youths.
The older looking of the young men currently playing inhaled deeply as he bounced the ball on the cracked dirty cement of court. His face contorted with concentration as he narrowed his world to exactly three things: the ball, the opponent, and the rim. The first was in his possession, the second was bulling towards him with a matching look of stark concentration, and the third was ten feet away. It was during times like these, when sweat was covering your body and adrenaline coursing through your veins, that Anfernee 'Ant' Lawrence felt like Awesomeman. When he was on the court he was that unstoppable and untouchable. Hell, he was invulnerable! With his exhaled breath he shoved the ball forward and began dribbling it towards the rim and the oncoming opponent. His feet moved in perfect cohesion with the bouncing ball, never missing a step. He was naked except for a pair of Heat sportswear jersey pants and hi-top black Mikes that had definitely seen better days, a thin sheen of sweat covered his dusky brown skin as he ran; gaining more speed with every movement. It was as if though his feet had grown wings.
His opponent came on face now locked in a silent snarl and eyes blazing. They came so close that Ant reckoned he could see his reflection in the boy's dilated pupils. The other boy jerked forward reaching for the ball. That had always been Loc's problem. He was always too hasty. Ant smoothly shifted the ball from his right hand to his left and thus out of Loc's reach. With the speed and grace that only came after years of practice he spun in a perfect circle, avoiding collision with the charging boy by a mere fraction of an inch, and then he gathered his feet below him. His calves and thighs corded and tighten for a moment before he leapt up in one massive explosion. It was a magnificent jump, taking him two feet forward and almost eight upwards. Time seemed to slow and for one moment he froze in the air, legs splayed apart one before the other and ball raised high above head. Then the rim was within reach and with a triumphant yell Ant slammed the basketball home. The rim shuddered and creaked as Ant hung from it with one hand looking for all the world like some great big ball went bouncing off to the end of the court and the boy that Ant had just worked around swore viciously. Off towards the sidelines of the court there was a great hooting and shouting from the spectators. Ant took a moment to savor his victory with a cocky laugh before releasing his grip and landing heavily unto the cement with a slight grunt as pain lanced up his ankles.
The boy stomped towards Ant scowling fiercely, quite in contrast to the pleasant smile Ant wore on his own face. He took this opportunity to examine this boy who was more along the lines of a brother than a friend; despite the lack of blood relations. The other youth was shorter than Ant's six feet two by head and shoulders. Where Ant's skin was more caramel brown the other youth's coloring was akin to dark chocolate black. Where Ant was also toned and lean thanks to a few hours a week spent in the gym the boy before him was stout and portly, he was like a barrel on legs. The other boy also had a hawk like noise, low hanging bush eyebrows, and moody brown eyes that pronounced very truthfully that it would not take much to push him to violence. He had two visible tattoos. One on the left side of his neck which depicted the words CSG 4 Life in stylized script, and another on his left forearm which again stated the words Ballaing 4 ever and below that a snarling bull terrier dog head. His black hair was short cropped and stylized into waves and he was dressed in a white wifebeater, black Zip khaki pants, and blue Mike tennis shoes. A blue bandana which he used as a belt occasionally peaked from beneath the wifebeater when he overstretched. A thin gold chain hung around his neck and diamond studs shone at his ears. Ant knew that Jared 'Baby Loc' Bryce was every inch the dope boy that he appeared to be and then some. Much more than that, at the age of sixteen he was one of the most feared member of the Cassidy Street Gangstas street gang.
"Lucky ass mark." He snarled out while grudgingly offering his fist. Ant chuckled and tapped his own knuckles to Loc's offered ones.
"Don't hate the player little man." Ant told him in a wise voice. "Hate the game."
"Men fuck you."
"Oh snap Loc dawg." Called an amused sounding feminine voice. The two turned to face the approaching young woman. Behind her four other boys had picked up the discarded basketball and were in the midst of setting up their own game. Ant ignored them and focused on the incoming young woman. She was shorter than Ant as well but still a head taller than Loc, and she was built more along the slender side. Ant would estimate her breasts to be about an A cup but yet she had figure that was curved in all the right places and an overly large ass that definitely compensated for the lack of tits in his opinion. Like Loc she was duskier skinned than brown and her ebony hair she wore braided in fat cornrows. Her face was unassuming, but her lips were rather thick and her light brown eyes spaced a bit too far apart. Her long slender nose was crooked as were her front teeth. She was dressed in a purple Los Santos Dribblers jersey that was just tight enough to cling to her little breasts, the bottom of the jersey was cut off to reveal a toned stomach and a pierced navel. In addition to this she also wore black hot pants that hugged her bottom and thighs in a most delicious way and a pair of black and purple Mike sandals on her slender pedicured feet. On her left ankle there was a thin gold chain matching the heavier one that hung around her. A pair of gold earrings completed the outfit. Overall Jasmine 'Jazz' Powell was not what one would call a great beauty but she was still rather attractive. She too was a member of Cassidy Street Gangstas street gang and after Loc she was Ant's best friend.
"Fuck you too!" Loc called back to her as she approached. Jazz laughed and flipped him the bird. She came to a stop right beside them and then slipped an arm around the neck of both boys. Ant noted she smelt pleasantly like strawberries. Together the three began walking off the court, heading for the adjoining street.
"Eww." Jazz said. "Ya'll niggas sweaty and shit. Gross."
Ant and Loc both laughed at that as they walked along with her. Ant was content. Life hadn't been going all that peachy ever since he had returned to the old hood a couple weeks previously, but it was moments like those that made a crappy life worth living.
"So what you fools got shaking for the day?" Jazz asked.
"Damn its hotter than a motherfucker." Loc complained using one hand to wipe the beaded sweat off his brows. "Angel's party, woman. Its tonight remember?"
"How am I fitting to forget my homegirl's party? Course I remember. Its going to be off the chain hey. You going Ant baby?" She asked the last turning in Ant's direction.
"I ain't too sure." Ant admitted. At that both companions voiced dismay and alarm.
"Don't be fucking around nigga!"
"Come on Ant baby. You've got to go. Its Angel's party. Can't miss this shit."
"You can't miss this shit for real." Loc continued over Angel while glaring at him. "Nigga I mean it, you can't miss this shit. The bitches going be up in there like sour on lime! You know Angel's girls fine as a motherfucker. She said even her cousin Valeria from Dukes will be up in the spot tonight. I heard that bitch can do you somewhat fierce using just her throat. I'm looking to get my freak on baby."
"Settle down nasty nigga!" Jazz said scowling at Loc. "There's a lady here remember."
"Like you innocent to this shit." Loc chortled. "I heard Jamaal had your drunk ass on your knees the_"
"Fuck you!" Jazz shouted blushing as much as a dark skin person could blush. She slapped Loc on the back of the head none too gently but the younger boy only laughed harder.
"As I was saying nigga." Jazz huffed before returning her attention back to Ant. "He's right. This going to be the biggest party of the year. You know how Angel does it. Spanish bitch throws a real wild birthday bash."
"I'll have to get back to you on that." Ant once again said. He didn't add his reason, that lately money had just been really tight with him. The cash that he had made during his interim in the army was fast dwindling. There were bills of course, and then there was the new Oracle he had purchased; the price had just been too good to pass up. The car was little better than scrap metal but it was still an Ubermacht Oracle. Some hard work and it would right as rain. Even with the Oracle he had still had a pretty penny yet. The fact of the matter was that most of his finances had gone to pay his little sister's tuition at the Vespuci University. Ant still winced at the outrageous cost. The long and short of it was that he was now definitely penny pinching; he doubted he had so much money left as to spree on a new outfit for a party. The three continued their walk down the street while chatting amicably about the party and who all would be in attendance. After a few minutes they came across one of the two Liquor Aces that was located on Cassidy Street. A gaggle of purple glad men were congregating around a black Cavalcade parked in front of the liquor store. Loc said his goodbye then trotted across the street and towards the congregation leaving just Jazz and Ant. The woman slipped an arm around Ant's waist and Ant reciprocated by putting an arm around her shoulders. They continued their walk thus.
"So." She said letting the word hang out there for a moment. "So. You've been back a month now. What's your plan? Still no idea?"
"No." Ant answered shortly.
It was the question that he had been grappling with since he had arrived and she well knew it. Ant was not one to ignore a hard truth; he knew that his situation was sorrowful. He closed his eyes and tried to fight off a wave of despair and frustration.
"You must got something in mind." Jazz persisted. "What you learn in the army that was useful?" Ant grunted but did not deem to reply. He was sure that he had had it made when he had managed to wiggle an enlistment into the army. It was more than he could have hoped for as he had already had a violent offense on his record. A botched carjacking turned shooting that he had been busted on back in two thousand eight, at the time he had been fourteen and still in high school. He had spent three years in juvenile before being released thanks to Governor Jenkins 2nd Chance Amendment. Upon his reentrance back into society however, Ant had found that the situation was changed and it was time to be a man. With a recently deceased mother, absentee father, and a menace to society gangbanging half brother it had fallen upon Ant to care for his sixteen year old younger sister Patricia. For awhile he had supported the both of them however he could; doing everything from yard-work to stickups. Then fortune had favored Ant for through a friend he had managed to get his record expunged. Seeing no better choice he had joined the army reserve and had been relocated to South Harroline for basic training. Ant shook his head sadly and he continued to reflect. For a while things had been so perfect. Basic was rough but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. He was making more money than he had ever made before as well even though most of it went back home to help out his sister.
"Why'd you get discharge anyway?" Jazz asked unperturbed by Ant's sudden grumpiness. "You never did say."
"You sure asking a lot of questions today." Ant replied with an arch eyebrow.
Money, Ant mentally snarled in his head, Its money that fucked me over. Upon completion of basic training Ant had been stationed in the armory through some lucky mix-up. Within weeks he had been approached by an arms runner who was tossing around big numbers. It had been too much for Ant to resist and soon he was selling small arms and munitions out the backdoor. The money had been amazing but also the fallout had been horrific. He hadn't been smart enough so it had only been a matter of time before he was caught which was exactly how it played out. In short order he had been hauled in, court-martialed, and dishonorably discharged. It still left a bitter taste in his mouth, not helping the situation was that he could have avoided it all (most of it at least) had he given up his buyer but it was just not in Ant's nature to rat out someone to save himself. Thus he had returned back home to Broker with only the few dollars that he had buried instead of put in a bank, and another addition to his colorful record.
"I don't know." Ant finally said softly after a few seconds of silence. "No idea what the fuck I'm a going to do. I got discharge for arms dealing. That nullifies the expungement of that first shit I got into back in high school. I'll need to get a job I guess." But which one? Which respectable business would higher a two time convict? The short answer was none and Ant well knew it yet he still had a try; his sister was going to finish college. That was one promise that he had made which he meant to keep.
"It'll all work out." Jazz comforted him. "You know you always got the CSG. Cassidy Street Gangstas for live! You may not be CSG but you still our boy."
Ant smiled at her but said nothing. He didn't see how his affiliation with the Balla set could help him more than it could bring him more trouble. Gradually Ant got a tingling sensation on the back of his neck. A quick glance back revealed a black Landstalker driving slowly down the street. At once Ant tightened his grip around Jazz's waist, ready to yank her to the ground at a moment's notice. He might have been gone awhile but he was not such a fool as to believe that during the duration anything had changed. Indeed he had heard that the already intense gang feuding had, well, intensified. He knew that in two thousand eight, the same year he had been sent to juvie, some European psychopath had run rampant through the Liberty City underworld. He had watched a lot on Weasel news while inside but he had heard even more by listening to the talk going around. Apparently the European had killed a lot of important people from a lot of major player sets; the Russians, the Mafia, the Jewish, and even some of the motorcycle clubs and street gangs. The ensuing power struggle had been so fierce that Ant was very glad he hadn't been on the streets at the time though juvie hadn't been much different. The change in gang dynamics had seen every two bit hustler with a gun rushing to carve a piece of the pie for themselves and causing a crime wave in Liberty the likes of which had never before been seen; in Liberty City that was definitely saying something. Though the violence had slowly tapered off in the ensuing years things were definitely much more volatile than they had been before o nine. Ant had no name for alarm whoever as the vehicle stopped a little distance behind them and a familiar man exited the driver's side. Though Ant was no longer in fear of his life he scowled fiercely nonetheless.
"Little brother." The man called in his jovial raspy voice that Ant had always disliked. "When did you get in?"
"When the fuck did this jerkoff get out?" Ant growled in an undertone. Jazz squeezed in side in reply.
"Don't diss him." Jazz answered softly but in a very serious tone. "He's your brother but Menace a shot caller now. Penn upped him on the inside."
Ant mentally swore up and down. To Ant that was definitely not good news.
"Come here boy." Menace beckoned him. "Let's go for a ride. We've got to talk."
Ant hesitated. Normally he would tell Menace to go and jump down a very deep and very dark ditch, but if it was as Jazz said and Menace was now a shot caller then the situation had changed. Menace was no longer just his scornful half brother but a man who now wielded a lot of power. Staying on his good side would definitely be a good thing.
"Go on." Jazz urged as she drew away from him. "I'll tex you."
Ant gave her a quick hug goodbye then he jogged over to the Landstalker and his brother.
"You drive little homie." Menace said with a chuckle. "Lets see what basic training thought you."
Ant bit down his retort and sighed instead. He made his way to the driver's side while Menace came around to the passenger's. Without much ado Ant slipped into the car and gunned the engine.
"Where we going?" He grunted.
"Drum Street." Menace replied with a grunt as well. "Schottler. And step on it."
Fighting a feeling of extreme misgiving Ant slipped the SUV into drive and headed towards the destination. August 2013, Ant thought to himself, something tells me its going to be a long summer...
((A quick introduction to mainly set the stage and introduce the four main characters. Antwan 'Ant' Lawrence. Jared 'Baby Loc' Bryce. Jazzmine 'Jazz' Powell. and Harold 'Menace' Lawrence. Yes, this time around there is a female protagonist in the mix. I took a leaf from Native Gunz's book. The faces for the main characters would follow as such:
Ant: Romeo Miller aka Little Romeo
Loc: young Christopher Wallace aka Biggie Smalls/Notorious Big
Jazz: Danielle Tabor
Menace: Wesley Snipes
Now unto the parodies and bolded stuff.
South Harroline: Fictional state created by Stelm that is based offf Georgia and the Carolinas. Featured in Stelm's A plus fanfic Grand Theft Auto South Harroline. Those who haven't read it as yet should give it a try, you won't regret it I promise.
2nd Chance Amendment: Law passed in 2010 that allows any ghetto born individual convicted of a serious crime to get off with a ridiculously lowered sentence. More on this later.
Mikes: Parody of Jordans created by yours truly.
Heat: Sportsgear line created by Rockstar.
Awesomeman: Parody of Superman created by yours truly.
Weasel News: Parody of Fox created by Rock Star.
Zip: Parody of Gap
That's all for now. As I always say. Read, Enjoy, Review. xD